Programmable infusion pumps are used to carry out controlled delivery of liquid food for enteral feeding and medications for various purposes, for example pain management. In a common arrangement, an infusion pump receives a disposable administration set comprising flexible tubing having a tubing segment designed to be engaged by a pumping mechanism of the infusion pump. The administration set may further comprise a pair of mounting components fixedly attached to the flexible tubing at predetermined locations at or near opposite ends of the tubing segment, whereby the mounting components are receivable by respective mating features on the infusion pump to secure the tubing segment in proper position for operative engagement by the pumping mechanism. One of the mounting components may provide additional functionality beyond helping to properly locate the tubing segment. For example, one of the mounting components may be configured as a free-flow prevention device operable to selectively stop and permit flow of the infusion liquid through the tubing. Upon loading the administration set in the pump, the free-flow prevention device is actuated from its normal flow-stopping closed position to its open position allowing flow. An example of the arrangement described above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,921 to Moubayed et al.
It is known to provide different types of administration sets all of which are intended for use with a particular infusion pump model or models. The various types of administration sets may be distinguishable from one another according to design specifications that are chosen based on the specific intended use of the administration set. For example, the tubing segment of the administration set may be dimensioned with a specific inner diameter and wall thickness for carrying certain liquid formulations of known viscosity, and may be formed of a material having a specific durometer. The material durometer, inner diameter, and wall thickness of the tubing segment are held within close manufacturing tolerances to ensure that the administration set provides intended flow characteristics when the tubing segment is acted upon by the pumping mechanism of the infusion pump.
Various types of administration sets may also be distinguishable from one another based on coupling hardware and other structural features provided as part of the administration set. For example, an end of the administration set may be provided with a bag for storing liquid, a vented vial spike, or a non-vented spike. As another example, the administration set may include a filter of a predetermined pore size, or it may not include a filter. Other structural features that may or may not be included in a particular administration set are an anti-siphon valve and a Y-connector having a check valve.
For safety reasons, it is desirable to ensure that the type of administration set chosen for use with a particular infusion pump to deliver an intended infusion protocol is the proper administration set. As an initial matter, it is desirable to confirm that an administration set is installed in the infusion pump. The installed administration set should be authentic from the standpoint that it is approved by the infusion pump manufacturer for use with the infusion pump. The installed administration set should also be of a type that is configured for delivering a selected infusion protocol which the infusion pump is programmed to execute.
What is needed is an administration set detection and authentication scheme that is easily implemented without adding hardware to the administration set or the infusion pump, that determines whether or not an administration set is installed and is authentic, and that distinguishes among different types of authentic administration sets to identify the type of administration set that is installed.